Arthur headed to the Academy dorms as evening shadows stretched across the courtyard.
He'd cleaned up and changed after the Trial, swapping his fancy battle gear for something nice but not too flashy. Only his royal ring showed his new status.
He was still buzzing from his victory, feeling how differently people treated him now.
Servants bowed lower, guards stood straighter, and courtiers who used to ignore him were suddenly falling over themselves to congratulate him.
But all that fake respect meant nothing compared to his real goal—picking up where he left off with Beatrice.
The girls' dorm was supposed to be off-limits to guys after sunset, but rules like that don't apply when you're the heir. The usual guard at the entrance was conveniently gone—thanks to Valentina keeping her promise to set things up for tonight.
